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In the days leading up to the June 4, 1989 government crackdown, protesters often wanted to show off their senses of humor, according to Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, as seen above at a monument in the occupied Tiananmen Square.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

In the often tense days leading up to June 4, troops would sometimes sing patriotic songs with demonstrators. In this picture taken a few days before troops reclaimed control of the area and crushed the democratic movement, a police officer sang in Tiananmen Square. Mr. Widener says it is one of his favorite photos: 'People were getting irritable and cranky, and that policewomen helped relieve the pressure a bit.'
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

A woman got caught in the middle of a scuffle between pro-democracy protesters and People's Liberation Army soldiers near the Great Hall of the People on June 3. Later that night, the army opened fire on the unarmed civilians and protesters occupying Tiananmen Square.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

Late in the evening on June 3, a group of protesters cornered an armored personnel carrier at the gates of the Great Hall of the People. It had just crashed through barricades made up of street dividers that the crowds had erected to stop military vehicles from advancing. At the same time, soldiers were preparing to open fire on the protesters just a short distance away.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

In the late evening of June 3, protesters set fire to an armored personnel carrier on Chang'an Avenue near Tiananmen Square. This picture was the last image Mr. Widener took before being struck in the face by a stray brick thrown by a protester. Though he sustained a serious concussion, his Nikon F3 titanium camera absorbed the blow and spared his life. 'It was a big news event, but for me personally, it also had an effect. I was almost killed,' he said.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

On June 4, a truck filled with People's Liberation Army troops patrolled Chang'an Avenue in front of the Beijing Hotel after the bloody crackdown on student-led, pro-democracy supporters at Tiananmen Square. A similar truck full of soldiers shot tourists standing in the lobby of the Beijing Hotel earlier that day.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

In the early morning on June 4, soldiers backed by tanks and armored cars toppled the Goddess of Democracy statue, which was modeled after the Statue of Liberty in the U.S. The Goddess of Democracy directly faced the portrait of Mao Zedong at the entrance of the Forbidden City and is an enduring symbol of the student protests.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

The lone man with only his shopping bags, facing down a column of tanks on Beijing's Chang'an Avenue, has become one of the most iconic images of the era. More than two decades later, the fate of the man is still a mystery. 'When I look at this picture what I really see is how close I came to missing the photo completely,' Mr. Widener recalls. 'I don't even have this picture on the wall in my house, because I get a shiver every time I think about how close I came to missing the photo.'
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

On June 5, a group of people at Chang'an Avenue held up a picture showing protesters who were shot and killed by Chinese soldiers in the crackdown at a local morgue. The troops used expanding bullets, which created larger wounds. Amnesty International estimates that at least 300 civilians were killed in the crackdown.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press

Two women swept debris next to a burned-out bus on Chang'an Avenue after the crackdown. The demonstrations led to the widespread burning of buses and military vehicles, which left several soldiers dead or injured.
Jeff Widener/Associated Press